Trackless mine motor



' Oct. 29, 1929.

w. H. COBURN ET A1.

TRACKLESS MINE MOTOR Filed Feb. 24, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet Inventor;

flier/147V,

Attormgy Oct. 29, 1929. w; H. COBURN El AL 1,733,526

' TRACKLESS MINE MOTOR Filed Feb. -24, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 4 z ar/MW,

I CI

m 9mm Patented Oct. 29, 1929 WILLIAM H. coBuRn'ANn CHARLHES KIERNAN, onmonennrow'n, WEST VIRGINIA.

AssIGNons'oF ONE-THIRDTOERNEST magnum, onmonennrowNQwnSr Vina emu'rnn'cxnnss umiifiuoiron f fApplication filed February 24,,1928.1 Seria1ml zsaeasu F I The presentinvention relates to what may beconventionally designated as a trackless Ymine motor, that is, a newtype of electric I The invention has moreparticularreference to anespecially'constructed vehicle, but i not necessarily'adapted for use inmining, 2 shown and described-in our co-pending application Serial No.203,011 filed under-date of July 2, 1927,.covering What is designated asa concentrated i pocket system of attacking and retreating long wall. f

' It is well known that the floors of these *headings are usually quiterough,'and thickly covered with'smallparticles of coal dustand dirt,thus producing an efi'ectivetraction sur- Qfacefor the various typesofvehicles which have been devised to take the place of track cars. f

ing ofthetype commonly i In view of the dilficultiesjvarious of tractiondevices have been provided, these beknown in thetrade [as tracklayingvehicles.

- Because of the'pecul" arities of the coal dust,

the driving drums and chains becomeclogged with this dirt. The result isthattheyjam and 'refuse to work. jInsomeinstance; the chains, beingunder unusual stra n, become "disrupted and then useless.

ceived of a self-propelled car such as can be i the ,b

tr masts and; an: absente sucleaning endless traction chains, such asare not likely to becomeclogged withcoal dirt. Other features andadvantages of the invention Will become more apparent from'the 5following description'and drawings. 1

In the 'drawings: Figure leis a side elevation of a car constructed inaccordance with the present invention.

5 Fig.2isatop ody; r

,xFig. 8 is an enlarged detail view, of one of the driving drums, andcomplemental por horas ofthe improved chains associated there- 6-Wit.,m-' i I Fig. lis a view atright angles to Fig. the sections beingon the line 44 of Fig. 3.

. Fig. 5 isa centralvertical sectionthru one of thedrums, and

, Fig. .6 is .a perspective view of one ofthe especiallydesignedtraction lugs. A

A 1 In the drawings, the reference character? designates j generally thebody ,of the car,

which is of any appropriate construction.

This is F of course provided with suitable Y closures mounted on asturdy base. I The base" includesextension platforms 8 at oppositezends, whose under sides are beveled'upwardly v and outwardlyto' permitthem to ride-over "obstructions inthe path of travel, and to wpreventthe ends of the tracklayingdevi'ces With the foregoing in mind, wehave-"cone conveniently manipulated in various kinds of.

headings, the same being especially designed p be emphasized is theconstruction of the characterized by. an atform, dependable contnoldevices, and improved tracklayinge tracklaying devices, these beingcharacterized by thepresence of dependable driving drums,Eachjtracklaying structure iscolnposed of I from adbr'uptly strikingobstacles These platformsarelin the top plan configuration asshown inFig. 2, to aid in guiding the car,

and they are provided with appropriate'coup- If desired, electric lights10 may be mounted on opposite ends of the car in any suitable I place. iLocatedbeneath the base andmount-y ed thereominany convenient way, areespecially constructed tracklaying structures. Since the construction isthe same on-each side, a description of one will sufiice fol -both.

E [OFFICE 1 as view showingthe interior of I a series ofdrums 11 asshown in Fig. 3, graduated in size from the center toward the end, toprovide theusual configuration, and to permit proper cooperation of theend portions of the tracklaying structure with the inclined under sidesof the platforms 8. Each drum is provided with outstanding journals asat 12, as shown in Fig. 4, the opposite ends of which are mounted forrotation in bearings in. suitable portions of the base as shown inFigure-2; A side bar 13 extends along the outside of each'set of drumsand connects the journals 12 as shown. These Outside bars may be.connected to the main frame in any suitable manner. a

As shown in Fig. 4, the drum in each instance is comparatively wide,andincludes a centrally disposed circumferential rib 13, whose marginaledges are beveledas at14: and provided with pairs of opposed grooves 15.Locatedon opposite sides of'theribs are rowsof teeth'16. Cooperatingwith each row of teeth is an endless traction chain 17 which is composedof lugs 18 connected together by llllKS L8.

The links have their marginal edges beveled and the inner beveled edgescooperate with the correspondingly beveled edge lt of the rib 13, asshown in Fig. 4. The links 19 are constructed for cooperation with theteeth 16. The lugs1-8- are of a construction shown in Fig; 6, andreference being had to thisview, it will be seentha't eachlug comprisesa substantially rectangular block havin a truncated ramidal oortion 20.In addition, a tapered hole 21 is formed completely through the lug, asshown in Figure 3.

lnl connection with this hole, it isobserved that as the chains travelover the drum, considerable coal dirt is permitted to accumulate betweenthe surface of the drums and the chains. However, as the lugs come down.upon the surfacesof the drums, the d rt lsforcedv out through theholes21. Thus the chains are p substantially self-cleaning. i Moreover,dirt such. as might otherwise be composed of graduated drums havinginner and outer rows of'teeth for cooperation with the individualchains. I

Each chain is characterized by its specially, designed link cooperatingwith the beveled.

. central rib and connected to especially con-.

structedtraction lugs, the lugs and rib being constructed to aid inejecting insure eificienttraction.

In practice, a controller box 22 is; arranged within the car body inadvanc'e'of the opercoal dirt to atorsseat 23. On oppositesides of thisseat,"

we find operating levers 24 connected with control rods 25 leading backto bell cranks such as serve to operate the cone clutches 26. e have adual clutch arrangement here, which permits either clutch to beoperated. Thus,

a I one tracklaymg device can be operated, while the other one will bepermitted to remain still to permit steering in a well known manner.

In addition, there is an electric motor 27 which receives current from asource of supply not shown. Moreover, this motor has a dual pinionarrangement wherein the pinions are included in gearing trains servingto impart power to the tracklaying deviceson 0pposite sides of the base.

After considering the detailed description in association with thedrawings, it is believed that a clear understanding of the construction,its use, and advantages, and operation of the invention will be had.Therefore, a more lengthy description .is thought unnecessary.

Having thus described our. invention, what we claim" as new is:.

1. In a mine. motor vehicle-of the class described, a base, andtracklayi'ng. traction drives carriedxby said base and locatedonopposite longitudinal sides thereof, each drive comprising a plurality'of drums, each. drum having a central rib provided with beveledmarginal edges inwhich grooves are formed, circiunferentially spacedannular rows of teeth on the. surface; of the drum and located onopposite sidesof the rib, and pairs of endless chains; trained over saiddrums, and cooperating with said ribs'and teeth.

2. In a mine motor vehicle of the class described, a base,,tracklayingtraction drives mounted on said base, operating means. for said. drivesalso mounted on;.said base each drive comprising-a pluralityof drums,each drum being; relatively wide and being formed with a. centrallylocated circumferential rib on opposite sides of which are annular rowsof driving teeth, the; marginal edges of the Lib being beveled andprovided with grooves disposed radially and opening through the fiattread portion of the'rib, chains trained over; saiddrums, andcooperating with said teethand said ribs, said chains being composed oflinks connecting a. multiplicity of lugs,

and each lug being'provided with.- a passage therethrough for dirt. V o

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures. f T .WILLIAM. COBURN.

CHARLES; KIERNAN.

